


The Marks on You are like Black Ink on Fresh Snow

by oinkjungjung



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 23:00:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18882991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oinkjungjung/pseuds/oinkjungjung
Summary: There, on a person’s right arm, lays the countdown to his death. But what happens when one had supposedly lived past his time. Is this his second chance at life or has his life never truly began until then.aka the one where Zhengting time travels into the past where he meets Xukun





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I swear the titles of my fics just keep getting longer but I am back! Enjoy! 
> 
> This story is set in a world where people are born with a death countdown on their arm. Most people would cover it up with a band and never look at it because they thought the burden of knowing when they die was too huge to bear.

With his chubby arms covered in numerous little folds, Zhengting pushes himself up. While those arms may have been strong enough to lift his little bum up, he now found himself stuck, folded at the waist, butt up, head down. The barely a year old baby managed to hold on, lasted for many ten seconds in that awkward position before his chubby body became too much for those tiny arms to handle, and he collapsed back into his previous seating position.

Lifting his head, Zhengting gazed directly at his mother seated barely 3 steps away, a distance so short but seemingly insurmountable to the young one. But that little failure did not bring Zhengting down, in fact it seemed so amusing to him that he let out a few high pitched giggles while clapping those chubby hands together. 

The sight had melted his mother’s heart, along with many other instances ever since his birth. Zhengting’s mother had always thought that she was lucky, and that her baby was a god sent from the very day she had first wrapped her arms around him. The boy was such a sweetheart, barely cried and was always so eager to try. But that smile though, it was the sweetest.

Having her heart melted by her lovely baby, she couldn’t help but to carry her baby over into her arms, squishing those round cheeks and pinching that tiny little nose. 

Compared to his fair skin, his soft pink lips and his baby yellow overalls, the thin line of black on Zhengting’s right arm seems to stand out like a rose among the thorns. There, just below the fold of his elbow was a line of numbers that was now too small in size to be deciphered clearly. But as Zhengting grows up, the numbers will slowly become more distinct, especially since the numeric value will decrease.

It’s still early now but one day, Zhengting, just like everyone else, will put on a band and it will never be taken off, keeping what lies beneath it a secret until the long chain of numbers resolve to a zero.

 

Zhengting had just turned 18 when it happened. It had been a swelteringly hot summer night and there had been no one else at home so he too had plans for the night. He was going to explore the newly opened themepark with his groups of friends. They were suppose to be meeting in half an hour and Zhengting was running late, the short nap he had intended to take had dragged on for way too long.

Grabbing whatever he thought would go together just fine, he threw them onto his bed, all ready to change. He could remember faintly hearing the words his mother had always told him since young, to never cut corners when it comes to his countdown, and that he was never to look at it. But it had been a hot summer, and he did not have time, surely it would not hurt to just be a little careless with it just this once. 

He could not have been more wrong. 

Three mistakes. Three things he always did because that was what he was taught since young to. Three unforgivable errors he wished he could have changed but never could.

One, he did not check if his band was still in place. He could have simply felt around for it but he did not.

Two, he did not close his eyes. Shutting his lids for a couple of seconds would have prevented this entire debacle.

Three, he did not look away. Something so simple but so so important.

All of this was what led to this, a scene of Zhengting staring straight at the changing numbers on his arm. For a moment, he had just been stunned, found himself motionless even though his mind had not really registered what was happening. It was probably because he had been conditioned since young that the very possibility of looking at his countdown had shocked him.

64824…

Wait… The last number, it was a 5. It turned into a 6… 7… 8…

His countdown was going up. He was getting further from his death with each second.

No… Before the very first digit… A ‘-’ 

He was getting further from his death with each second… because he was already way past it… He should be dead…

 

Zhengting did not show up at the themepark that night, making up some excuse for his absence that day, and for many other instances from then on. For when his mind drifted far and off, for when he disappeared into thin air, for when he was no where to be found.

 

Zhengting had tried, he did. To blame it on his own imagination and that it had all been a dream. But no, his life was the dream, the numbers was solid evidence of that. 

But of course, he did not tell a single soul about this. He didn’t want to be the miracle (read: freak) that lived past his time, he didn’t want to be the ticking time bomb in other people’s eyes, he didn’t want to be the son that his parents have to worry about losing every second of the day. So he tried to act the way he always did, bright smiles, sweet gestures, only that they now lacked a little life.

Maybe he did die.

 

Confusion and sorrow was brewing underneath the façade of indifference. That was until he stumbled upon the articles upon articles hyping up a science fair held by the Beijing Insititute of Technology because it was going to include a never before seen technology of time travel. While many of the articles Zhengting had come across had been doubtful ones, he felt himself drawn to the fair regardless. Call him supersitious, but it felt as though it was his calling. After two whole years of self doubt, there was finally a way to make sense of this whole thing.

 

After reading up on all there is available about this new technology that is to be showcased at the fair, Zhengting found himself arriving at the venue early. He couldn’t hide his interesting mix of excitement and anxiety despite the constant reminder he gave himself to not get his hopes up. The university had made sure to clarify that everything was still in their developmental stages and that the fair had only been intended for the students to showcase their semester’s worth of hardwork, not some revolutionary event that was suppose to change the world. But Zhengting was certain that this had to be the explanation behind his disparate countdown and he’s there for answers.

Making his way into the hall, he could spot students at various little corners of the venue looking to be rehearsing their presentation. Zhengting had wanted to approach them, maybe he could find out about the progress of the time travel technology and if it was even feasible in the first place. But before he could even take a step towards the students, he was ushered towards the rows of soft cushion chairs, prevented from reaching the students just like the many press members around him. 

Zhengting could feel the small bout of annoyance sparking in him, something that absolutely would not have happened to him two year prior. The sweet, kind and considerate Zhengting surely would not get mad at something as understandable as preventing rambunctious reporters from harassing some students. But the two years of torturing himself mentally had pushed that sweet kid out of the main seats in his head. Maybe it will one day regain its rightful place when Zhengting finally finds a place where he truly belongs.

Hours flew by as the opening address and demostrations of the other findings from the students lulled Zhengting closer to dreamland until the very mention of “time travel” jolted him right awake. It was already near the end, he should have known they would leave this to the last.

A group of three students made their way onto the stage as the mc introduced them one by one. Zhengting could spot the journalist seating next to him rush to scribble all their names down. But Zhengting already had them all memorised by heart, Lin Yanjun, Lu Dinghao and Bi Wenjun.

While many of what the students have said had been too technical for Zhengting to comprehend, he made sure to note down anything that may have seen to be of importance, not wanting to miss out anything that could concern his future, or should he say past. 

His unwavering attention also caused him to notice the behaviours of each of the students. The one called Lin Yanjun currently presenting his part seemed pretty confident, maybe even proud, proud of his creation. The one next to him, Lu Dinghao, appears to be calm, face straight and even wearing a slight smile, but Zhengting could see the deep breathes he was taking from time to time. Anxiety probably. The last one standing on the other end of the stage though, he did not seem to be that confident. Bi Wenjun, Zhengting remembered his name to be. While he was the tallest on stage, he did not seem so with his constant fidgeting and the lack of eye contact with the crowd. 

As Wenjun started up the gigantic, portal like heap of metal, Zhengting had felt his heart pumping a little faster. Was it excitement? Was it anxiety? He was not sure. But had two possible outcomes flash in his head, either a very successful demostration of the tin box Wenjun tosses towards the portal disappearing in front of his eyes as it flies back through time, or a failure where said box just thumps onto the floor. But Zhengting was in no way prepared for the sparks and blaze that flew through the hall just as Wenjun tosses the box.

Chaos descended onto the crowd in a blink of an eye. Everyone bolted up and out. All the skeptical journalists came to their own conclusions about the possibility of time travel, no one was concerned as to where the tin box now laid.

 

As throngs of people crashed like waves towards the exit, Zhengting found himself struggling against them, trying to make his way towards the stage instead. Why he did that, he had no idea, was not thinking, body just simply moving and it was only when he was on the stage that he even noticed himself there. 

Having been the closest to the portal, Wenjun appeared to have been the most affected. When Zhengting had made his way over to where Wenjun had fallen back upon the shock, he could see how the taller was completely motionless, lips pale and unmoving eyes widen in shock. Zhengting quickly pulled the taller up onto his feet with all his strength and managed to pass him over to the other two students that had just recovered and made their way over. But all while they were getting off the stage and towards the exit, Wenjun kept looking back. Eyes staring and never once drifting away from something on the stage. Zhengting reckoned a look, feet still moving, bringing him closer and closer to safety. But he stopped, came to a stand still, for he too saw what Wenjun had seen, or had not seen. The tin box was gone.

 

In that few moments of hesitation, the gap between Zhengting and the rest grew wider by the second. And when the purple and green warp patterns exploded throughout the room, Zhengting found that he was the only one within its reach as a beam of light took over his sight. 

 

 

When Zhengting had finally regained consciousness, he found himself lying in a field of snow, the hard wooden flooring of the hall replaced by a never ending patch of snow. 

Upon regaining his bearings, Zhengting pushed himself up onto his feet. While he may have been able to get up, he found that he had lost most feelings in his limbs, the only thing he could feel was cold. The snow had soaked up his clothes that were now wet and clinging onto him uncomfortably, and not to mention, he had clearly been dressed for summer, the thin material of his clothes could barely provide him any warmth.

Zhengting felt as though there was a fog over his head, dulling all his senses and abilities. But he knew one thing, he had to move. He had to get out of wherever this is. 

 

“It looks like you used up all your luck on your previous hunt. Deers, rabbits, boars. We are going back empty handed this time.” Linkai grumbled. To others, it may seem like the servant was being rude but Xukun knows better, he knows it’s all just part of the former’s teasings.

The relationship between the young master and his servants may seem peculiar to others, way too friendly and casual of a relationship to be one that you would expect from them. But everyone in their little county knows, Xukun had never been someone to treat others differently just because of their social class. His father, the late county magistrate was like this, and so was Xukun. And this was probably why everyone in the county loves and respects the Cai family.

Now, out on his routine hunt in the woods, Xukun found that he had this silent urge to shut Linkai up. He was pretty sure that if there had been any animals near by, they would have already heard Linkai from miles ahead and fled long before Xukun could even spot them. But of course, given that there had been nothing to hunt for the past hour or so, the busy chatter was actually much appreciated, at least it kept things interesting.

Just as Xukun was about to call it a day, to resign to a fruitless hunt, he spotted something move up ahead. Lifting his bow as he kicked his horse to move forward, all ready to shoot if he gets the chance.

However, he soon realised that what he had saw was no animal, but a person. The figure appears to be struggling as he made to find support on nearby trees with every step he took. Just as Xukun lowered his bow, the figure collapsed into the snow which prompted Xukun to rush over immediately.

There, in the pile of fresh white snow, lay a young man dressed way too little for the winter winds. A hot flush was blooming against the too pale skin of his while his wet hair and clothes clung onto him uncomfortably. Upon seeing this sight, Xukun removed his fur cloak at once and draped it over the stranger while he and his servants helped move the unconscious man onto their young master’s horse all while Xukun could feel the shivering underneath his hands.

 

The moment the small group got back to the Cai family’s manor, they made a mad rush carrying the stranger into the guest room. Xukun laid him down onto the bed while the servants ran in various directions, some went to start the fire, some went to fetch towels, blankets and a fresh set of clothes, some went to light up all the candles in the room. 

As the fury of motion went on in the background, Xukun finally took a good look at the newcomer and only then did he notice just how strange and out of place the man looked. His hair was short and strangely light coloured when no one around would ever cut their hair. He had piercings, three of them, on one ear when only women had them and only one on each ear. His clothes looked so unfamiliar. What was with that weird looking hat and that top? Those pants?

A little sneeze from the stranger snapped Xukun out of his reverie. Mumbling a little apology under his breath, Xukun moves to rid the former of his freezing wet clothes before proceeding to help warm him up with the hot water his servants had fetched, during which Xukun noticed the weird marks on his body, a feather tattoo and a chain of changing numbers. Fifteen minutes later, Xukun left for his own room after asking his head servant, Zhangjing to look after the stranger now laying unconscious in a set of Xukun’s silk robes.


	2. Chapter 2

For the remainder of the day, all through the night till the next morning, the stranger laid amidst the soft silk and the fresh scent of plum blossoms blooming in the winter cold. It was not until early next morning did he awake. 

From the very moment Zhengting’s eyelashes so much as flutter, Zhangjing was already found bolting out of the door, on his way to fetch his young master. As such, when Zhengting had finally managed to lift his heavy eyelids, he had found himself alone in a strange place. It was quiet, lacking the low rumble of traffic that he was used to hearing. In its place, was the cheerful chirping of birds. 

And wood, so much wood. The walls were wooden, the ceiling was wooden and upon sitting up, he notices that even the floor was wooden. Looking down to himself, he discovered that he donned a set of pale blue silk robes that resembled the traditional ‘han fu’, the grey button down and black slacks he last remembered wearing were gone. 

Just as Zhengting was getting lost in his thoughts, people came rushing into the room he was in, people just as weird as the surroundings were. They, like Zhengting himself, were wearing traditional robes, hair all done up in a top knot and if he was to be honest, Zhengting found them to be looking exactly like the characters of his favourite period drama. 

Just then, the only one other person in silk stepped up. “My name is Cai Xukun. Are you feeling better now?” said man asked, eyes looking straight into Zhengting’s prompting him to nod, “We found you unconscious in the woods yesterday so we brought you in. You do not seem like you are from here, where are you from?” 

At that moment, flashes of purple and green appeared in Zhengting’s mind. He could hear the screams, he could seem the warps from the portal, he could feel the lightness he felt right before he blacked out. And they felt real, it didn’t feel like a dream, no matter how crazy the turn of events may sound. All this did not feel like a dream but did he really travel back in time?

Noticing the lack of response from their guest, Xukun called out to him, asking for his name instead. Startled out of his thoughts, Zhengting gave out his name without much thought which made him thank his parents in his head for not giving him some weird English name like Theo or Austin instead. 

Deciding to try and hide his suspicions and background, Zhengting made up a story about how he was from a far away town and had been separated from his friends. Using the excuse of being lost and needing to get back to said imaginary friends, he asked for directions to the next town before promptly leaving the manor.

While Xukun had made no means to stop the strange man, allowing Zhengting to leave, in Xukun’s own clothes even, he did not fail to notice the loopholes in his story and the strangeness of his actions. As the servants around him started chattering about Zhengting too, about how his answers were weird, how he did not know anything, about how he had no belongings but came in wearing weird clothes, Xukun knew he was not the only one who thought the man was suspicious. 

 

Walking through town Zhengting could not help noticing the numerous stares he was receiving. The change of clothes had not been enough to hide the differences he held with everyone else, even a simple walk out on the street had him sticking out like a sore thumb. Zhengting quickly took off his piercings and looked down as he hurried off to a little quiet alley, running a hand nervously through his short hair that he had nothing he could do about. 

Away from the view of the several people out on the streets early in the morning, Zhengting slowly lifted the inner corner of his right sleeve. He was going to check his countdown, just the front of it, he wouldn’t look at the whole thing, he swears he wouldn’t. From the moment he had woken up, he could already tell that his cover was gone. After all, he has had them on for pretty much every single moment of his life since he was ten, he knows how it would feel like if it was still there. So all he needed to do now, was just to check the front, and if his suspicions were confirmed, then… Then he shall decide what to do.

Zhengting could feel his heart palpitating violently, his pulse racing. The last time he had seen his countdown, which is also the only other time he had ever done so, even though it had been an accident, had been the biggest mistake of his life. But he needed to do this, maybe this was his second chance, maybe he could finally experience life the way it should be, the way everyone else always did because he no longer lived on borrowed time.

Keeping his eyes tightly shut, Zhengting pulled up the inner corner of his sleeve to where he knows the countdown was, he knew the position of it by heart. Turning his head to face the countdown, he slowly, bit by bit, opened his eyes until he was faced with the numbered 6. 

The number 6.

There was no line in front of it, no dash, no negative sign.

Zhengting was back in the past.

Zhengting was alive.

Zhengting was where he should be.

 

This revelation brought the tears that had been unshed for too long into Zhengting’s eyes. His legs could no longer handle the emotions he was feeling as they buckled, bringing him into a squat position, hugging his own legs and curling into himself. This was all he had ever hoped for.

 

Unknown to Zhengting, he had not been alone the whole time. Ever since he had left the Cai manor, the young master had been following him. He had intended on tailing the stranger purely because he had found him suspicious, was afraid that he could cause them trouble later on. Little did he know that he would end up witnessing a tender emotional moment instead. 

Being the kind and soft hearted man that he is, Xukun slowly approached the man that had curled into a ball, making himself seem smaller than he already was. Patting him gently on the shoulder, Zhengting immediately looked up, the tears of his taking a small pause from the shock.

The streaks caused by the tears from before, the tip of his nose that had turned red and the little hiccups that Zhengting was letting out tugged at Xukun’s heart. He could feel his heart rate rising but he could also feel a slight sinking feeling in him. He did not like seeing this man cry.

He could not comprehend his actions, but Xukun squatted down and brought Zhengting into his embrace. He would normally had never done something like this, this guy was a stranger, but at that moment, the head he held to his chest felt like it belonged there. Xukun ran his hand through Zhengting’s hair while the one crying in his arms let out all the emotions he had pent up for years.

When Zhengting had finally calmed down, he quickly shuffled out of the other’s arms, feeling a little embarrassed but Xukun just smiled, happy that Zhengting had finally let it all out. 

Looking straight into Zhengting’s eyes again, Xukun offered Zhengting a place in his home, he could stay over for as long as he needs. Sensing the slight fear in Zhengting’s eyes, the young master assured him that he could repay by helping out around the house, and that he would be very welcomed. 

Unknown to Xukun, Zhengting really did not know if he would be able to help out, he had never done any chores before because his mother had always made sure to spoil him as much as she could, asking him to pursue his dreams instead. But now that he knew he had indeed travelled back in time, it was time to decide his next course of action and this seemed to be the best option he had. He had no money, no knowledge of this world and no one to rely on. And Xukun had been nice to him. Zhengting did not know how this will turn out but it may be his best option for now. And so he agreed, following behind Xukun as the two headed down the path back to the Cai manor.

 

The following morning, Zhengting walked out of his new room alongside three other servants. Gone was the lovely pale blue silk robe he was dressed in the previous day, a plain white hemp tunic in its place. This new set of clothes was definitely less comfortable as compared to what he wore the day before. The sleeves were shorter and the fit tighter, everything lacking the flowiness from before, the light, airy feeling that made him feel like a fairy. It was undoubtedly better suited for the chores that he was told he had to do but Zhengting could not help but feel a little upset now that he could not wear those pretty clothes he once could. Not that he had a say though, he now had a place to go and that was already more than he could ask for.

Reporting to Zhangjing, he was assigned the tasks for the day, and that became the way Zhengting began his day for the days to come. Diligently carrying out all the tasks he was assigned, Zhengting obeyed all orders obediently, not wanting to cause the Cai family anymore trouble. 

While he had been pretty clumsy at the start, knocking a few dishes over, estimating the amount of food to prepare wrongly, and accidentally nicking his finger, he did manage to get better over time, thankfully. What Zhengting did not know, he sought guidance from others but mostly Zhangjing. What Zhengting did know, he made sure to work doubly hard to make up for his mistakes, a small bout of fear arising every time he did something wrong, afraid that he would be kicked out and he would have no where to go again. And when Zhengting was done with his own chores, he would sometimes offer to help the other servants, the same people who once thought of him as weird when he had first arrived. Time travel may have taken a lot away from Zhengting, but it did not take away the genuine and kind heart of his, in fact returning this kindness to him tenfold now that the woes of his end no longer troubled him. And while Zhengting offered up his kindness to everyone, no one abused it, only falling in love with him, making him the tender-hearted little baby that everyone wanted to take care, even Zhangjing who was once suspicious of Zhengting.

 

While it was fortunate that Zhengting got along with everyone, his recent change in lifestyle did not sit well with his health. 

Zhengting had been scrubbing the floors of the main hall. Unlike in the modern times, they did not have mops, as such they had to clean their floors manually using a rag, bending over and dragging the rag across the floors. 

Zhengting could feel his sweat dripping down as he stood upright for a short breather. His waist had not been feeling its best the past few days, a dull throbbing coming from the muscles deep within and it just so happened to be time for the floors to be cleaned, he really did not have lady luck on his side. He was sure he could do the dishes just fine but no, it had to be this. Looking around, he reckoned he had maybe 15 minutes more to go before he was done with his share. 15 minutes, he can pull through this.

But just as Zhengting bent over to continue, he felt a jolt of excruciating pain shot up to his head from his waist, contorting his face in pain, brows narrowed, lips pale. He collapsed onto the floor into a squat as one hand flew to support his back while the other held himself up. As Zhengting struggled with the pain, he felt a tap on his shoulder. “You don’t look so good, are you alright?” Zhangjing asks, immediately adding “You don’t need to hide anything, you have been doing a good job recently, if you don’t feel well you can tell me.”

Under the concern eyes of Zhangjing, Zhengting found himself admitting to feeling unwell and being sent back to his room to rest for the remainder of the day. He did not however, mention his injury.

 

Back in the room he shared with three other servants, Zhengting collapsed onto his bed, lying on his front as he stared into the empty room. The journey back had been a huge struggle but he was glad that he could now rest on his own. Everyone else will still be working for the rest of the day, leaving the room all to himself.

Being left alone with his motions restricted, in addition to not having much to do, Zhengting found himself lost in his thoughts, ones that he had prevented himself from dwelling on ever since he had arrived at this strange land. He thought about his old life, should it be called old when it takes place in the future? All the things that he had lost, the people he had left behind, the life that he actually really miss now that it was taken away from him. 

Staring at his hands, now all calloused and dry, nothing like how they were when he had first arrived, Zhengting could not ignore how much tougher life has gotten since then. He used to have everything handed to him, lived his life as the delicate little flower under the tender love and care of his parents. He missed that, he missed them. 

Without even realizing, tears started to well up in his eyes, clouding his vision. A lump started forming in his throat and as his emotions kept building, thoughts kept running, the tears started to fall, leaving behind a trail in its wake. 

Time travelling had been Zhengting’s plan back then, but he had never considered what it really meant. 

 

Just then, two gentle knocks on the door shocked Zhengting out of his thoughts. He hastily wiped his tears and cleared his throat before calling out to the person to enter. To his surprise, it was not the other servants staying in this room, or even Zhangjing, it was the young master who had entered. 

“Sorry to disturb but I saw you come in just now and wanted to see if you are alright,” Xukun said, a slight hint of worry in his voice from watching Zhengting struggle to walk previously and the red-rimmed eyes he was now faced with. While Zhengting had intended to keep his injury hidden, the young master seemed to not let him off with a simple excuse of not feeling well, his stare intense as though commanding him to confess. So, Zhengting came clean about the relapse of his waist injury and later on how he had gotten it in the past from dance upon more probing.

“You dance?” a spark lit up in Xukun’s eyes, interest piqued, “Can you dance for me when you get better?” Seeing the young master’s expression, Zhengting found himself unable to refuse, “When I get better, young master.”

 

After finally conceding and showing Xukun his injury, the young master immediately went and fetched a doctor, along with moving Zhengting back into the guest room he originally occupied when he had first arrived. “It is so that you can recover in peace,” Xukun said. It seems the angry redness and slight swelling had him really worried. But Zhengting could not see how that was enough to warrant the young master personally helping him over to the guest room, how he had placed Zhengting’s arm over his shoulder and his hand on his servant’s waist.

 

There, Zhengting recovered under the care and concern of his young master, resting sufficiently before he was finally able to move around without experiencing much pain. 

As he returned back to work, Zhengting noticed the easier tasks assigned to him, but he did not pay much attention to it, and much less realise that it was Xukun who had requested for it.

Zhengting also continued to stay in the guest room.


	3. Chapter 3

“Is your waist feeling better?” the young master asks, concern in his voice when he spotted Zhengting in the lawn, helping Linkai air the blankets. 

“No lying,” he quickly added before Zhengting could reply. “There is no rush for you to get back to work.”

A flush surfaced on Zhengting’s cheeks, one which he had no idea if it was from the cold or from the concern he was getting, but he quickly reassured that he was feeling better, not yet completely recovered but definitely better. It was probably not going to fully recover any time soon, given that he had this injury for years now, but he at least got to rest and allow it to recover which was something he had never really been able to afford in the past.

“Now that you feel better, do not forget the dance you promised me,” Xukun said, voice all firm but the slight waver in his eyes betrayed him, revealing the slight shyness in him not many had ever witnessed.

As Zhengting went back to work, Linkai who was there the whole time, albeit forgotten by the other two, started teasing Xukun, “He left, young master. You can start blushing now.”

 

The following week, Zhou Rui, a ‘guzheng’ master starts visiting Zhengting regularly under the orders of the young master in preparation of the dance he was promised. When the two first met, it had taken a long time before they finally settled on a song. Zhengting did not know anything about the music they had back then, all the names Zhou Rui listed to him being totally foreign to him. It was only after Zhou Rui had given up and started playing song after song for Zhengting to choose that they finally managed to get that settled.

While that itself had taken up a whole day, Zhengting couldn’t help but admit it was nice to just seat back and listen to the melodic tunes Zhou Rui had played.

The two spent hours everyday cooped up in Zhengting’s room, the same song drifting out through the thin wooden doors, as Zhengting spent his free time perfecting the first dance he was going to perform for anyone of this era.

 

After an entire month had past, Zhengting was finally ready. After Zhou Rui had left, Zhengting had arrived at the young master’s door, a light red wash on his cheeks after the physical work out from before, and possibly from the thought of finally performing for the other. 

Knocking gently on the door, he was soon welcomed in and faced with Xukun’s unwavering gaze yet again. Zhengting reckoned he was never going to get used to that. With a meek little voice, the one he never realised but used all the time, Zhengting said, “The dance is ready… When would you like to view it, young master.”

With the tone of Zhengting’s voice and his expression being the only things Xukun could register, he just stood there for a moment or two, not answering until he realized his own lack of response when Zhengting started pursing his lips. 

So, tomorrow. Tomorrow shall be the day.

 

As Zhengting’s eyes fluttered open the next morning after a restless night, he spotted a brand new set of clothes folded neatly on a chair next to his bed. It was a set of white silk robes with a beautiful shade of azure blue, which faded into the white at the ends of the top piece. Even though there was no message left along with it, he could make a guess as to who left it there and why.

 

As the time for the dance drew close, Zhengting slipped on the new set of clothes, finding them fitting him like a glove. It was definitely lighter and had fewer layers than the one he had worn on his first day, making it more suitable for his dance as they allow him to move more freely. With something like this, he would have expected it to be harder to achieve a good fit without tailoring them but he was surprised at how nicely it sat on his body. 

After turning rounds after rounds and spending way too much time observing himself in the mirror, Zhengting sat down and started to brush his hair up into a little top knot. His hair had been growing out and he could finally get them away from his face the way everyone else did. There may still be an obvious change in colour from his black roots to his brown ends, but for now this will do. 

 

In the main hall of the Cai manor, the young master sat on the huge cushioned chair situated right at the center, along the vast wall covered in murals. It had the perfect view, overlooking the entire hall. In front of him were various mouthwatering dishes the servants had served up before all retiring back to their rooms for the day.

There, Xukun was alone, waiting for the dance he was promised.

 

When Zhengting had entered the hall together with Zhou Rui, his mind was calm despite the fact that he could feel his heart drumming against his chest. He was nervous, no doubt, but his years of experience had taught him how to cope with this anxiety of going on stage, he may not be able to stop his heart from racing, but he sure could keep it from messing things up.

Walking over to the center of the hall, he got into position as he waited for the guzheng to start playing. When Zhou Rui was ready, the beautiful tunes of the guzheng drifted through the expanse of the hall. Zhengting could feel the unwavering attention on him, a pair of eyes staring at him and only him.

Taking a step forward followed by another, Zhengting found himself lost in his thoughts. The melancholic music bringing him back to the years he spent in distress over his time. 

As the music hits its first crescendo, it transformed the mood to a lighter, more sanguine one as an air of hope surrounded Zhengting. He recalled the way he felt when he first discovered the possibility of time travel. But even then, it was a terribly lonely journey, one he did not realised back then but thinking back now, he should have.

As the intro of the song cuts, Zhengting too started the main crux of his dance, as though symbolizing how he had taken the leap of faith, traveling through hundreds of years all for achieving this very goal of his. Every jump, every flip, every angle of his body arduous but Zhengting carried himself with such grace that they seemed as though it was just another day for him, much like they days he had spent alone in this foreign land.

There were moments as though he was on the floor, vulnerable and small. And times where he could conquer it all, flying through the sky as he flipped and turned, an air of elegance flowing from him as he moved with such ease, it seemed as though the music was carrying him along. 

From his seat, Xukun was captivated by what he saw. It was different from the dance he usually saw from other people, more daring and bold despite still encapsulating just as much, if not more emotions in every move. Not only that, it was a stunning performance, one that drew you in and guided you through the every emotion as though you were experiencing it yourself. 

Xukun could see the set backs Zhengting faced, the sacrifices he had to make, the yearning he had for that goal of his driving him through all these struggle.

Xukun wanted to find out about this desire of Zhengting’s.

 

As the music came to an end, Zhengting’s dance too came to an end. In his ending position, where he looked to be reaching for something, he finally came out of his trance, registering what was happening around him, making him bashful all of a sudden. His eyes fleeted down, and a light blush bloomed on his cheeks as he turned to face his young master.

Xukun thanked Zhou Rui and sent him off all while Zhengting was still trying to catch his breath after all the work out he had just gotten. It was only when he saw a pair of covered feet in front of his bare ones that he finally looked up and was met with another intense gaze, one that distracted him and took his attention away from the bright smile Zhengting also received because he was too busy willing the warmth in his cheeks to go away.

“It was lovely.” Although what Xukun really wanted to say was “You were lovely.”

 

That night, the two enjoyed dinner together after the dance. One that Zhengting really felt he did not have the right to as a servant but was eventually convinced into by the young master just like all the other meals and more that followed.

The two ate together, went out together, and just spent time around the manor doing nothing together. They may not have noticed this change but the many servants located all around the manor certainly did and before long, everyone in the manor was aware of this budding relationship. And the servants saw this as good news, rejoiced over it for their young master, he finally found someone he liked.

But despite the many celebrations, the servants could not help but realise how this was not going to be an easy relationship to have.

 

As the two started spending more time with each other’s company than apart, they grew to know one another better. Of the many occasions they spent together in either’s room, in the lawn, or along the sidewalks of the manor, they each noticed little details about the other person that they themselves may not even be aware of. 

Zhengting noticed the way the young master always walks right next to him, not ahead of like most others of his position probably would. He noticed how Xukun would always alternate between the dishes served. He noticed how Xukun always positioned himself in the direction of the wind, as though trying to block them from reaching Zhengting.

On the other hand, Xukun noticed the way Zhengting’s voice tends to get louder and of a higher pitch every time he was excited. He noticed how attentive he was as he would always spot the fallen eyelashes on Xukun’s face, or the strand of hair that had fallen out of place. He noticed the strange details regarding where Zhengting was from, even though Xukun had never once commented on them.

Many had already thought it was strange from the moment Zhengting had arrived because of the way he acted and looked. But it was the little things that popped up that really triggered Xukun’s suspicions. 

It was in the way Zhengting spoke. The way he used a much less formal and simple way of wording his sentences, the way he occasionally used words that no one else had ever heard and the way he did all this unknowingly, perplexed as to why others sometimes have difficulty understanding him.

It was in the way he described the life he used to have, one that was definitely not common around that time. “I studied dance since I was 9.”

It was in the way he knew things he should not know. Zhengting could read and write, and there was no way someone without status could. 

Where Zhengting came from was definitely a mystery, and from what Xukun has noticed, it was not going to be easy deciphering this puzzle.

 

Then came the day where everything made sense.

Zhengting and Xukun had been hanging out in the young master’s room, a common occurrence by now. The two had been drinking after clearing out the many dishes they were served. But as they drank, they slowly migrated over to Xukun’s bed, unable to keep themselves upright on the stools in the room. 

They were not drunk, both having quite a high tolerance, but the alcohol had definitely stripped them of their whatever reservations they may still have with one another, encouraging an unimpeded release of emotions and thoughts. This was also the motivation behind Xukun asking the other about his tattoo, something that Zhengting had no idea his young master had any knowledge about. 

While Zhengting’s slowed down brain was trying to acknowledge this question and its underlying implications, along with squeezing every drop of rational thinking to try and come up with an explanation, Xukun seized the silence and dropped even more of the questions he had been having. He asked about Zhengting’s hair, piercings, background, even going on to quote specific phrases he had said in the past that had been occupying Xukun’s head ever since just because he could not figure them out.

Under the resolute, dark brown eyes of the young master situated barely a breath away, words came spilling out from Zhengting’s mouth before he even had the chance to process what he was saying.

“I am from the future…” when Zhengting realized what he had said, he could feel the claws of fear grab onto him. His heart sped up, eyes widened and beads of cold sweat started to form on his forehead. He had remained motionless for minutes, stunned in his place his unintended confession, before his body finally caught up with his brain and he then started to blabber on and on.

“You might think I am crazy, but… No, this is not real, it was a joke. Sorry, it’s not funny. Don’t take it seriously. I…”

Zhengting’s rambles were cut off as Xukun grabbed onto the wrists that had been flailing around, looked Zhengting dead in the eyes and said, “I believe you.”

Silence…

Silence…

Silence…

All that could be heard was the rapid breathing of the two, and perhaps their vigorous heartbeats.

No one spoke, and silence took over the room, seeming as though everything had came to a standstill. 

Witnessing the way Zhengting’s warm brown eyes seem to reflect every single one of his emotion and thoughts from up close, Xukun found himself drawn into Zhengting even more fiercely than before.

He could clearly see the tinge of fear in those beautiful eyes, a slight fickle of astonishment and a shot of relief.

Xukun found himself wanting to be there to identify all these emotions in Zhengting’s eyes all the time, and to be able to wipe all the negative emotions away for him.

“Since you shared a secret with me, I will share one too.”

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a lot of this chapter came from me wanting to write about zhengting's 思思雨落 dance but i only realised how difficult that was when i was at it wow. hope it still ended up being decent! hope you enjoyed it!


	4. Chapter 4

Staring right back at the very pair of eyes Zhengting found himself faced with repeatedly, those three words replayed themselves in his head over and over, as if making sure that he did not miss them.

 

Seeing how the shocked expression on Zhengting’s face remained or maybe even amplify after his confession, a small speck of doubt started to bloom in Xukun. But just as he was about to say something, anything that can possibly make the situation better, he found himself not having to anymore for he felt the plushness of a pair of lips against his own.

Not just any pair of lips, but specifically Zhengting’s lips.

 

To be honest, Zhengting was not thinking, it just felt like the best thing to do in that situation. The waves of shock from before have not yet relinquished their control over him, but Xukun loved him… and he’s very ok with that, the knowledge of this sentiment sparking joy in him, making his heart skip and stomach flutter.

And so he acted, getting up slightly from his previous position of half lying down and launching himself forward into the arms of Xukun instead. Zhengting’s hands found their place on the young master’s shoulders as his lips landed on their counterpart, knees situated on the sides of the other’s hips, straddled. 

The kiss started out slow and timid despite Zhengting’s bold move initiating it, as if testing the waters, still not sure of this course of action. Zhengting placed pecks upon pecks before slowly starting to move, nibbling on Xukun’s full, lower lip when the other had finally started to react.

Sweet, little kisses grew more fervent, lips colliding messily against one another. Licking at the seam of Zhengting’s lips, Xukun’s tongue found its way into the former’s mouth, exploring, teasing. Their hips rocked against one another, exposing the effect they had on each other as thighs brushed against parts usually kept hidden.

As their breathing speed up and their pants grew tighter, a hand on Zhengting’s waist, Xukun flipped their position. Staring down at the sight of the other, eyes glazed, lips red, chest rising and falling, Xukun’s lips found its way back onto Zhengting with even more zeal than before. He nipped at Zhengting’s left ear, where he knew piercings used to nestle, tongue occasionally peeking out to get a taste. Sucking his way down Zhengting’s jaw and along his neck, Xukun placed his hands on the waistband of Zhengting’s pants, patiently and obediently seating them there until he felt the other buck his hips.

Obtaining the permission he needed, Xukun started pulling at the ties securing Zhengting’s clothes together, pulling his top apart before moving down to his pants. With the view of Zhengting’s toned torso free from obstruction, Xukun’s attention was diverted to it as he tackled the expanse of the fair chest, nipping, sucking, licking. The sound Zhengting made every time Xukun hit a sensitive spot was music in Xukun’s ears, every single moan and whine working their magic down his body as blood travelled south. 

When all their clothes have been abandoned, laying on the floor all around the bed, Xukun’s fingers found its way back to Zhengting’s lips, prodding and encouraging the other to suck on them, coating them in saliva as Xukun stopped all other action, and just watched from his position on top of Zhengting. Sensing the unwavering attention on his face, Zhengting made a show out of Xukun’s request, sucking furiously and coating those digits generously.

Unknown to Zhengting though, the raging flush on his cheeks betrayed his confidence, revealing the shyness despite the desire in the air. But Xukun noticed it, noticed every little reaction, he noticed it all. 

As Zhengting released Xukun’s digits with a pop, they travelled along sensitive skin and found their place between those two long, dancer legs. Circling Zhengting’s puckered rim, Xukun slowly started easing one finger in, then two, then three. By the time three fingers were moving in and out comfortably, brushing and stroking sensitive areas, Xukun found himself having to halt his ministrations on Zhengting’s rosy buds and shut him up with kisses because boy Zhengting was definitely too loud for those paper thin walls. While the servants had probably all retired to their rooms by now, Xukun did not want to risk the chances of being heard by even one servant, especially when every single one of them are loud chatterboxes. But Xukun really did love hearing those sounds Zhengting made though. Maybe on some other occasion…

When Xukun deemed Zhengting ready, he withdrew his fingers and aligned their hips, before plunging in with one strong thrust. Thankfully, Xukun had anticipated Zhengting’s reaction, kissing especially fiercely while he had entered, eating up all the hums and purrs.

Finding a rhythm, Xukun started to work his way into Zhengting. The shots of pleasure running its course through Zhengting’s body had his fingers clenching onto the silk sheets under him while his legs circled around Xukun’s hips, toes curling as he willed Xukun deeper and deeper into himself.

With the quicker and deeper thrusts, Xukun sent Zhengting further into the bed with each push and shove, the hard bed digging into Zhengting’s back painfully. Breaking free from the aggressive kissing, Zhengting informed the other about this, voice hoarse and breathy. 

Hips faltered as Xukun grabbed at the thick blankets that had fallen to the ground, using them to cushion Zhengting’s back before slowly regaining his momentum, observing the other for anymore signs of discomfort to which he received whines and hands grabbing for his hair instead. 

As the pleasure grew and their climaxes approach, Xukun’s topknot had long became loose, hair cascading down and tickling the one underneath him. Xukun’s bed rocked raucously, and only after fluids were released did it start to quiet down.

 

Once his breathing had evened out, Xukun got up and fetched the towel and basin of water the servants had always prepared for him to wash up the next morning, cleaning up the evidences of their night of passion, dabbing gently at Zhengting’s body and his own. Once clean, Xukun gathered Zhengting into his arms and under the blankets, snuggling close to each other in the cold winter night.

“The line of numbers on my arm, you have probably seen them. They countdown to my death.” Zhengting whispers into Xukun’s chest, “That was how I knew I was in a place I didn’t belong.”

Sharing the story he had never told anyone, Zhengting bared his heart to Xukun. 

 

For the days following that night, the two were basically joined at the hips, almost never appearing without the other. The young master would invite Zhengting to join him for all of his meals and when there were chores for the latter to do, Xukun could always be found at one corner of the room, watching as Zhengting tried to hide his red cheeks from view. They would constantly be throwing looks at one another that honestly made the other servants around a little awkward at times. 

So it wouldn’t come as a surprise for their relationship to be a known fact within the Cai manor, it just couldn’t get anymore obvious.

Eventually, Zhengting was relieved of his duties as a servant. He was never really given an official title so his role in the house may be a little ambiguous but for everyone that was around, it was clear enough and no one had any questions about it. Dressed in beautiful silk robes once again, Zhengting moved out of the servant quarters officially, and into the guestroom despite the fact that he had already pretty much been living there for months now. 

The servants that had used to be of equal status as Zhengting now served him, not quite like the way they served their young master, but it was definitely a different sort of treatment from when they had been coworkers. Feeling uneasy at times, Zhengting had told them to not trouble themselves with serving him on several occasions but each time, he was met with insistence from the servants and sometimes a wiggle of eyebrows or a teasing smirk from the ones he was closer to. Knowing that he couldn’t get them to stop serving him, Zhengting chose to help out with some of the minor chores from time to time, partly because he too can be stubborn and partly because he really had nothing much to do.

 

As winter cold passed and little buds started blooming, decorating the surroundings with a tinge of colour, Xukun took Zhengting out with him on his hunt. 

Seated on the same horseback, with Zhengting in front as Xukun’s hands held onto the reins from either side of the former’s waist, much like the way they did when they first met, the two rode off into the woods. The servants that accompanied them made sure to maintain a certain distance from the couple, not wanting to disturb them but also “wanting to keep their innocent ears clean” according to Linkai. 

Spotting a hare off in a distance, Xukun stopped his horse and tried teaching Zhengting how to shoot, his hands moving from Zhengting’s shoulders to his arms, trying to get his posture right. Once that’s done, Xukun’s hand landed on Zhengting’s own, adjusting his aim as his face sat right next to Zhengting’s. Releasing the bowstring, the arrow was sent flying straight to the hare. Zhengting caught something. Or should we say Xukun caught something for Zhengting.

 

As the day went on, Zhengting tried eating some berries he found which Xukun was so convinced was poisonous. But being someone from the future, Zhengting knew for a fact it wasn’t and after a huge struggle, Xukun finally tried some and found his taste buds tingling from the sweet treat. 

A smug smile appeared on Zhengting’s face, “I told you so.” 

 

The day ended with a bountiful hunt when Xukun caught a boar, topping off the list of animals he caught, a rush of excitement coursing through his veins when he made a clean shot knowing that his lover seated right next to him had witnessed his triumph. Seeing the amazed look on his lover’s face, Xukun knew his mission to impress Zhengting was a definite success.

 

“Is this your best hunt ever? I wonder if it’s because a certain someone is by your side today?” Zhengting asked, tone light and cheeky, a mischievous smile donning his face.

“No, this is not my best hunt.” Xukun replied seriously. A look of curiosity appeared on Zhengting’s face but just as he was about to ask, he received the answer to his unspoken question, “My best hunt was when I found you.” 

Zhengting’s cheeks grew warmer, making his shyness and embarrassment obvious. Turning his head away to hide his blush, he complained, “Are you comparing me with a pig?!”

 

As the two started going on more dates out, people started to notice. Afterall, Xukun was beloved by everyone in their little county, so naturally this stranger that he hung out with a lot and who was not a servant, and was oddly close to Xukun, was bound to gain a lot of attention.

Soon, gossips started to spread. It started off with people just commenting on how close they look, about how they were two guys being really close and then to how pretty Zhengting looked, how he could pass off as a girl easily. Then the attention shifted to Zhengting himself, as people started to comment on his odd hair colour and length, short hair with black roots and brown ends. They talked about how Zhengting talked weird.

It did not take long before people who claimed to have seen him on his first day here spoke up, sharing stories of what they saw with some of them adding their own creativity and insights here and there.

People thought Zhengting was weird.

 

Despite the negative sentiments floating around, the couple was completely unaware of them, living in their own world, observing the world through their love clouded pink lenses.

 

On yet another one of their dates out, the young master brought his lover out to the city where they happened to see Ziyi, a friend of Xukun’s, in one the inns. As Xukun suggested they go over to say hi together, Zhengting excused himself, saying that that was something that had caught his eye earlier and that he could go look at it while Xukun catches up with Ziyi. This was not a complete lie, Zhengting did want to get something, but it was also partly because he thought it might be awkward for him to be there while the two close friends chatted.

As Zhengting had left before Xukun even approached Ziyi, the latter was not aware that Zhengting had been there in the first place. Nevertheless, their topic of conversation still drifted to Zhengting in the end.

“Hey, have you heard about what people have to say about you recently?” seeing the clueless expression on Xukun’s face, Ziyi continued, “People have been saying that you were bewitched by a demon. The guy around you a lot recently, they say he is a fox spirit, seducing you. Ridiculous right?”

Unknown to Ziyi, Xukun blanched. He could not bring himself to see the humour in this, getting up immediately and left, needing to find his lover.

 

Walking down the streets to the store he saw previously, Zhengting could feel his heart speeding slightly with excitement. He had spotted a really nice pendant previously, which he thought Xukun would definitely like. He was going to get it for his lover, it would be his first ever gift for the other. But as he was preoccupied fantasizing about his gifts for Xukun, Zhengting did not notice the people that have started to gather.

“You freak! What are you doing with young master Cai!” Zhengting heard, prompting him to turn and only than, did he notice the mob, stunning him in place. But while Zhengting had not yet recovered from the shock, the crowd was all ready as they pulled him out of the store and into some small alley. 

As Zhengting finally recovered from his trance, he realized he was away from the main street, being grabbed all over by strangers as they kept shouting words that melded together, unable to be deciphered. He also felt himself getting wet, someone had thrown water at him in the name of exorcising him. 

The increased heart rates he previously welcomed have now descended into terror, his heart pounding loudly against his chest as he started hearing ringing in his ears. His fear though only exacerbated when he distinctly felt his cover fall off. His panic grew even greater, his chest and throat constricting as a wave of nausea flooded him.

Holding onto the only shred of rationality left, Zhengting desperately held his right sleeve down, even as the many hands grabbing at him tried to prevent that. Unfortunately, all his attempts to keep his countdown hidden failed as his sleeve gets torn from the brutality of the crowd.

There, in front of the numerous pairs of eyes, Zhengting’s countdown was revealed. 

All motion around Zhengting came to a halt, but Zhengting did not see it, closing his eyes shut as a last ditch attempt to prevent the tragedy when he was 18 from happening once again.

Maybe he would not know what it said if he refused to. 

But it did not stop everyone around him from looking. It had shocked them for a moment, a mark one resembling a tattoo. But it was moving… changing…

While things appeared to have calm down, it was but for a moment, the calm before the storm, as the mob became even more convinced that Zhengting was a demon, the mark apparently proof of it. “The mark of a demon,” they called it. 

But the violence and the actions did not return, only the words as they became more hesitant to act now, their fear of Zhengting growing. However, they couldn’t just leave him alone despite their fear, he was the monster in their eyes that they had to deal with despite being scared. Hence the use of the majority voice, shouting loudly in huge crowds, as though to hide their fear, as they try to decide their course of action.

Screams of all the horrible things they would do to him travelled into Zhengting’s ears, making him tremble and wince as images flash in his head. 

But it was when someone started reading the numbers out loud that Zhengting broke down. He started screaming, a desperate attempt to block out the voice, to not know when he was going to die.

 

Xukun made another turn into yet another street, trying desperately to find his lover. He was worried about what might happen when such rumours had been spreading. He had been going around for maybe ten minutes now and with each passing second, his worry grew stronger and stronger.

Just as he was about to turn into another street, Xukun heard a huge crowd. His heart dropped as he approached, worried that Zhengting was indeed there. 

And his suspicions were confirmed when he heard a scream, a voice that belonged to the one he had been searching for. Xukun pushed through the crowd, clearing a path to where he found his lover just as he collapsed into heap, lips pale with tear streaks running down his cheeks. Grabbing Zhengting’s cover from the floor, Xukun swooped in and carried his unconscious lover away while the crowd just watched, shocked by what had happened.

 

Back at the Cai manor, Zhengting woke up only after the sun had already gone down. He found himself all washed and changed, tucked comfortably into his bed. As the day’s events finally found their way back to him, Zhengting’s hands shot right up, feeling for the cover he prayed was still on.

It was then a soft, gentle voice reached him, a familiar voice belonging to none other than his lover who he only realized was seated right next to him. Xukun had replaced the cover, and he did not look.

Seeing the slightly dazed expression on his lover’s face, Xukun pulled Zhengting into his arms, hugging him tight as he whispered soft apologies repeatedly into Zhengting’s ears.

“I should have been more careful.”

“I will protect you from now on.”

“No one can hurt you anymore.”

“So please… Stay by my side…”

While Zhengting had barely reacted, barely even moved, his mind was racing, bustling with thoughts. And late that night, after Xukun had finally fallen asleep, Zhengting left, in secret, all on his own yet again. It was what he had to do to protect Xukun, his presence would only create more problems for his lover.

And because Zhengting was unsure of his place here. He had once thought he did not belong back in the future, and that he belonged here in the past. But he had no idea what lied beneath his cover, it may be positive but it may still be hundreds of years away. Maybe, this is not the place for him either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, so this chapter is where the main conflict actually starts. this was my original idea of the fic in the first place. i hope the fluff and romance from before makes up for this sudden change in mood haha. oh and just to clarify some stuff, the people in the past don't have countdowns. let's just say it started at some point in time later on due to some genetic mutation or something. anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this! would really appreciate comments too haha


	5. Chapter 5

The moment Xukun woke up, feeling the lack of warmth right next to him, he knew he messed up. He shouldn’t have fallen asleep. 

Bolting up and around the entire manor, his suspicions were confirmed when his lover was nowhere to be found.

Zhengting had left.

But there was no way Xukun was going to just let Zhengting leave like this, not just because he genuinely wanted him around, but because if Zhengting really had to leave, it should be when Xukun knows he will be save and with a final goodbye. 

Taking to the streets, Xukun dashed through lanes after lanes, shops after shops, silently praying that this was all a just a nightmare and his lover had simply gone out for a walk. But no, Zhengting was still nowhere in sight.

Zhengting had not been to many places before, Xukun thought to himself, there was only that many places he could try. So, rushing back to the manor, Xukun got onto his horse and rode off into the woods, where he had first found Zhengting a few months back.

 

Making his way down a familiar path, Zhengting found himself back in the woods again. This place held so many precious memories, all the hunts and dates he had been on flashing through his head as he weaved through the trees that were now covered in green.

Just a few months back, the entire woods had been bare and empty, the cold winter winds having stripped the life away. But now that spring had approached, the pure white was replaced by vibrant colours. 

Honestly speaking, Zhengting did not know what his plans were. Was he going to leave? Was he going to try and get back to the future? Or was he going to find another small village and just live quietly for the rest of his days?

He had no idea, had not made a single decision except for the one about not wanting to cause Xukun anymore trouble. So here he was, in the woods trying to find a certain tin box he suspected was still lying around somewhere. And what’s after that? He would decide that when it’s time.

 

Even though he had been to the woods a couple of times now, he truly had no idea where he landed the very first time. His memories of that day were fuzzy, he had been too knocked out and cold to register much of his surroundings. So all Zhengting could do was to slowly cover the woods bit by bit, even if it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

At some point in time, Zhengting vaguely heard a voice calling out, or more specifically, screaming. Figuring out the direction it came from, he made a mad dash towards the voice only to find a little boy at the end of a very steep and deep slope, bleeding out from his forehead. 

Noticing this, Zhengting immediately tried to get to him, but the only way down was down the slope. Grabbing a branch off the ground, Zhengting tried to slowly make his way down, using the branch to steady himself as he climbed down. With each step he took, he could feel the pull of gravity trying to cause him to lose his grip and roll straight down like the boy probably had. But Zhengting did his best, being as careful as he possibly could be to prevent himself from falling.

When he finally got to where the boy was, after a whole twenty minute struggle on the slope, the boy was already groggy, fading in and out of consciousness from the impact and all the blood he had lost. Without hesitation, Zhengting tore at his left sleeve, pressing the fabric to the wound to try and curb the bleeding.

While the bleeding did stop eventually, the poor boy was still in a daze and needed help as soon as possible. Staring at the steep slope he came down from, Zhengting figured it was not going to be possible to get the boy out of this place on his own. His only hope was that someone would pass by soon, and he would be able to call out to for help.

 

Seating at the foot of the slope, holding the barely conscious boy in his arms, Zhengting waited, paying close attention to his surroundings so that he would be able to notice the moment someone appeared.

And that was when Zhengting again, heard a voice calling out. This time round, he called back in response, screaming as loud as he could in fear that the person would not hear him. “Here! Help!”

 

When Xukun had arrived at the woods, he had spotted a set of footprints that appeared to have been wandering around aimlessly, taking long paths and huge turns rather than walking straight to its destination. Believing that they could possibly belong to his lover, Xukun started to call out for the other as he followed the footprints and soon, he had heard a reply from the voice he had been yearning to hear but “Here! Help!” was not exactly what he had expected. This made the young master panic, urging his horse to race towards where the voice was coming from.

 

Jumping down from his horse, Xukun ran towards the voice, only narrowly skidding to a halt at the edge of a huge slope down. But at the foot of the slope was his beloved. He appeared to not have been hurt but there, in his arms, lie a poor little boy, barely ten, that seemed to have been hurt.

Xukun raised his voice yet again, asking Zhengting what had happened and when he was told about the boy’s condition, Xukun sped off on his horse to get help, but only after shouting to Zhengting where he was going and for them to be careful.

 

Speeding off, it was only when Xukun had arrived at the skirts of the woods did he managed to find people. Without thinking, he asked if they could help get an injured boy up the slope, the hurry obvious in his speech. But the moment he had asked that, the people had started to swamp him, desperately asking for more information about the boy. Apparently, one of the kids in their village had gone missing.

Sharing with them the condition the boy was in, the villagers rushed off to find ropes before they all hurried back to the slope. But when they arrived, they found themselves faced with another problem.

 

Down the slope, Zhengting carried the now unconscious boy in his arms as he slowly backed away from a huge bear that was approaching them, holding up the branch he had in one hand as his only weapon. 

With the crowd that had arrived, the commotion caused the bear to become even more agitated, growling and huffing hostilely. This compelled Xukun to dash back to his horse, grabbing for his bow and arrow secured on his horse for his hunts, he nocked his arrow and aimed, all ready to take out all of his emotions built up recently on the bear.

The steep slope made it difficult to aim, Xukun rarely even had to shoot from a height like this, but his lover was down there, in danger and he really had to make each shot count because who knows how the bear will react if he missed.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied his arrow, and shot. The arrow speeding through the air and down the course of the slope, and finally seating itself deep in the midst of fur and flesh. He had shot the bear right at his side. 

Reaching for more arrows, Xukun took the chance he had now that the bear had been caught by surprise and injured to make a couple more shots, each of them landing on various parts of its body. And only when the bear collapsed over, too injured to cause anymore trouble, did Xukun stop.

The villagers that had been previously too shocked to react finally recovered when Xukun started calling out to them to drop the ropes. Registering the chance to finally save the injured boy, they did as told and lifted the pair up from the slope after Zhengting had secured themselves tightly with the ropes.

 

The very moment Zhengting had untied himself and passed the boy over to his parents, he felt an arm reach around his waist, pulling him into a hug. Zhengting crashed hard into Xukun’s chest, but neither showed a hint of pain as they relished in each other’s presence. Digging his face deep into Zhengting’s neck, Xukun whispered random nothings, not at all processing what he was saying, just glad to have the other back, which might have been part of the things he had said.

Witnessing this intimate scene, the villagers left the two to have their own private moment, deciding that they would drop by at the Cai manor some other day instead to express their gratitude. The villagers had recognized the two the moment they had seen them, and while some had believed the rumours they had heard, what they had seen with their own eyes was more than enough to convince them otherwise. 

It did not matter who or what Zhengting was, for he was kind.

And no one harassed either of them anymore.

 

Back in the Cai manor, Zhengting was seated on the ledge of the walkway, silently, on his own. His slender figure appearing even smaller as he curled in on himself. Spotting his lover down the walkway, Xukun made his way over and took a seat right next to Zhengting, but the latter had no visible reaction to that.

“Do you want to leave?” Xukun asked, both of them paying close attention to everything they could pick up about the other despite looking out to the gardens but not at one another. 

 

A long pause of silence engulfed the two.

 

“I don’t know…”

A pause.

“I miss my old life… but I like it here.”

Another pause.

“I don’t think I can go back anyway, so if the people don’t mind me, then I’ll stay.”

 

“What if you could though?” Xukun turned to look right into his lover’s eyes, and Zhengting found himself faced with the intense gaze he had grown fond of yet again.

 

“What if I couldn’t?”

“You wouldn’t know until you try. Do you want to try? If I tell you I don’t mind you staying. No, I want you to stay. Will you stay?”

 

“I love you. Please stay…” this words were barely a whisper, so soft Zhengting would not have heard it if they had not been this close. Despite the volume, Zhengting could hear the desperation this words held, every single one of them causing a skip of his heart.

 

“I miss my family, my friends. I miss many things from my old life… But my life there was barely one. I was living but I did not belong, I did not live, merely surviving.”

“I want to stay.” And before Zhengting could even react, he was already pulled into his lover’s arms and tightly embraced.

In the comfort of this familiar warmth though, Zhengting couldn’t help it as tears welled, as he said the words “I miss them”, tears falling with his confession.

Pulling his lover even closer, Xukun snuggled into Zhengting’s neck as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear. 

There, they stayed for hours before finally retiring back into Zhengting’s room for the night, spending the rest of the time alone with nothing besides their lover’s presence.

 

The ring of the doorbell tore the attention away from his distraught spouse. Giving her one last look, he got up from the sofa and headed for the door, opening it only to be faced with an unfamiliar face smiling at him. “Hi… Are you Zhengting’s dad?”

Hearing the name of her missing son, Zhengting’s mother bolted towards the door, eyes full of hope even though they were brimming with tears. 

Pushing a rusted, old tin box into their hands, he urged them to open it. “This is for you.” 

Opening the box, they found a letter, delicate folded, containing the handwriting of the son they lost just a day prior. 

 

_Mom & Dad,_

_I don’t know if this letter will ever reach you, but I am sorry. I am sorry for leaving you behind, for not saying goodbye, for not even telling you. I have gone to a place far far away, and if you managed to receive this, then it means I can never came back._

_I have always hid it from you, but my countdown had always been negative, I should have been dead already. I know mom, I am not suppose to look at it, but it was an accident I swear! The truth is, I knew I was going to travel back in time, I just didn’t think it would happen like this. I would have loved to see you one last time, to say goodbye, to tell you how much I love you._

_That day at the science fair, the blast took me back a few hundred years. Things here are very different. None of my history classes could prepare me for this, you really have to experience it to know._

_The thing is, since young I never felt like I belonged, you loved me but it just didn’t feel right. But here, I found my place. It took a while, but life here was good, more free, slower, quieter. Can you believe it? Your son is already a fifty-year-old grandpa now. But it’s ok, I found someone to spend all this time with me. His name is Cai Xukun. We love each other, and he treats me well, caring, dependable. You would have liked him._

_I am sorry I cannot be there to take care of you now. It will always be my biggest regret. I don’t know if it will work out, or if you will even accept it, but if you see this letter, I assume it worked. The person who delivered this letter is my descendent. Xukun and I adopted kids, and we arranged for this tin box and letter to be passed down until it reaches 7th April 2018 when it will be delivered to you. Did it work? Is it 7th April there now? I hope it did, I want to at least be able to talk to you one last time._

_Please, don’t be upset. I know it is selfish of me to ask this, but I lived well, and I want you to live well too. Don’t let me be the one to cause you pain. The Cai family is my family, and they are yours too. If you would like, let’s make us one big family, let them take care of you in my place, let them do all the things I never got to do for you._

_One last thing, I hope you can keep what happened to me a secret, don’t let them know that the time travel worked, let’s not let anyone else have to go through the same fate as me._

_I love you. I miss you. I am sorry. Please forgive me._

_Love,  
Zhengting_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there it is, the ending! i don't know why but posting this feels a little more emotional than usual. maybe it's because of the final part haha i am a sucker for stuff like this but like i clearly wrote it so why am i like this. this fic was really quite a journey because it took me more than 4 months to get to writing it. anyway, thank you for reading this and for supporting this! i hope you liked it!


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